Turning Around
by R1NKIN
Summary: Fang, Max, Iggy and Ratchet are all watching their lives crumble. Fang is a notorious dealer, Iggy is an explosive manufacturer, Max is a dying addict and Ratchet is the only one with the ability to change his actions. They all seek the same things; money and freedom. Now their skills will be tested to the limit as they will have to fight to turn themselves around.
1. At Gunpoint

**Thank you for checking out this story! I'll be updating on weekends, enjoy.**

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** FANG**

"I don't want to see your face or any of our buyer's faces ever again," I growled, holding my best friend Iggy against his car by the collar of his blue hoodie. "I do not want to interact with them, to speak with them, or even be in the same room as them. I am out of the business and I am staying out."

Iggy was breathing lightly and shaking feverishly when our eyes met. I held him until he nodded his head and his face was full of fear. A month ago I wouldn't have imagined doing this to Iggy, but now I feel I should do worse. But I didn't let myself take this a step further.

"We will never make contact again." Iggy stated with a regretful gaze. I loosened my grip on his collar and stared at him for another moment then let go. I turned away from him, knowing that if we saw each other again it would not end well for one of us. I shuddered at the thought as I arrived at my two seater lowrider, looking at my reflection. There were battle scars but there was no trace of emotion, just how I liked it. I opened the door and sat down, slamming the door and quickly turning the key. I backed out of the parking lot and headed towards the only road that lead out of this isolated parking lot in the Arizonan desert.

I drove away quickly, fully where that in my trunk there was little over one hundred thousand dollars stuffed in a large black carrying bag. The job that had earned me all this money was full of hazards and I no longer wanted to be a part of it, even if it was an extraordinarily high paying business. In that business I've been through things I never want to do again.

After I was a mile or so away from the parking lot I could hear my engine cough and my car stopped completely on the road. I pushed on the pedal harder but there was no response from the car.

"Shit." I slammed my fist on the steering wheel in frustration. Before I came out here I had checked my engine and everything had been running perfectly fine. Iggy had done something to my car. He was always a few steps ahead of his opponent at all times, wasn't he?

In my rear view mirror I could see the headlights of Iggy's custom silver Mercedes Benz and then his car practically gliding across the road as if he was in a hurry. In seconds he was only twenty five feet or less away from me. And that is when he got out of his car.

I could see his face lit up by his car's headlights as he walked towards me, which held a story of emotions. Anger, regret, fear, and sadness were all present. His red puffy eyes and trembling expression told m everything I needed to know. He had to kill me even if he didn't want to. After all before the conversation we had today we were best friends- partners in crime even. And now he had to kill me.

As he walked his hand went down to his belt, his fingers wrapping around a shining piece of metal, and when he pulled it out I saw what it was. It was an unsuppressed pistol. He would do the job quick and easy.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" I swore multiple times, looking around the surrounding area. If Iggy were to kill me out here there would be no witnesses and nobody would notice my disappearance. I had no family other than my mom, but her mind slipped away years ago under the influence of drugs.

I had no weapon other than the pocket knife in the back pocket of my jeans. My mind is racing and I can't think straight. Iggy would be at my car soon to kill me and the it would all be over.

But he's my best friend. He couldn't do it. He hasn't killed a person before, and I haven't either. Inside my mind I thought I could hear a clock ticking at a furious pace. Time was running out and I had to do something. I took out my pocket knife and held it in my sweaty hand. I swung my car door opened and stepped out.

Iggy raised the gun so that it was level with my face. Behind my back I opened my pocket knife, the short but sharp blade ready to strike. Iggy was ten feet away from me, his finger shaking on the trigger as if he were having trouble pulling it.

"Don't do this, Iggy." I said, tightening my grip on the knife behind my back. "I will never mention your name to anyone. I don't know you."

He walked towards me, his gun still aiming at my face. Time was running out.

"You will talk if I don't cap you." Iggy stuttered nervously, his knuckles white as bone as he held his pistol. I could make out the tears sliding down his pale cheek as he stopped walking towards me, now only ten feet from me. I tensed as I prepared to throw the knife at him, and I could feel myself trembling.

"Iggy..." I trailed off, and for the first time in years I felt tears trickling down my face. "Just do one thing for me after you kill me..."

Iggy's face softened.

"Go screw yourself." I threw the knife which was answered with a bullet that ripped through my shoulder. I could see Iggy run off towards his car guiltily, quickly getting in and driving off, past me and down the road. I knelt down, screaming at the dirt road in pain. I slammed my fists on the ground until they bled.

I knew Iggy had won the battle.

But I didn't know who would win the war.


	2. Maximum Ride

**A/N**

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**CHAPTER 2: A RIDE GONE BAD **

**MAX**

I let the addictive alcohol trickle down my throat and engulf me, numbing the pain I felt. All the crap that I'm given is washed away by just one bottle of magic. My room is dark and the shades are closed, immersing me in this solitary area where I could let myself go. I won't be coming out for hours. This is what my life is reduced to.

When I finished savagely drinking from the glass bottle of beer I walked sluggishly to my bed, my vision obscured. What I'm doing is illegal and I know it. I'm only eighteen. I just can't stop.

I am a nobody.

This is what I always told myself before tonight.

"Open the door!" A loud, amplified yell came from the door. At the same time my phone rang. What the hell is going on? I force myself up from the bed and stumbled towards my iPhone, picking it up and answering immediately.

"Its Iggy," The caller whispered in to his phone sharply. "When you open your door do not tell them anything. Do not say a word. They will threaten to shoot you but they won't do it." Iggy paused momentarily. "Please do this for me, Max. My life depends on it. We will talk but please don't respond to any question. You have the right to remain silent."

"Uh..." I slurred. Is the alcohol messing with my head? "Sure." I ended the call, dropping my phone on accident.

The solid white door burst opened, light flooding in to the room. A policeman was armed with an assault rifle and others were behind him, blocking my route of escape.

"Hands in the air!" He screamed at me, his iron sight trained on me. My reflexes were really bad because I'm drunk. I slowly raise them, praying that my sleeve doesn't fall. Outside there was a lot of shouting and chaos that I could hear vaguely. I'm so screwed. There were only two possible things the cops are here for; they know I do drugs _or _something I have no knowledge of. "Maximum Ride. Please turn around slowly and face the other direction."

I rotated, looking towards my small apartment room's only bed. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up in fear. A gun was pointed at my head and with just a click I could be dead. The very thought almost made me panic.

"Put your hands on the back of your neck," He barked, and I did so. I've never been arrested before. This experience is changing me. It probably won't be the last time. I felt the cold, solid handcuffs lock around one wrist and then the other. "Stand up and go to the nearest police vehicle."

Walking out of my apartment I could tell this was the last time I would be here. Police cars were lined up outside of the apartment building, and tucked behind them were police with guns aimed at me. I gasped, letting out a cough in to the cool air. My mother and sister, Ella, were watching me being escorted to a police car.

"MAX!" Ella screamed, running towards me but being blocked by an officer. This single act broke my heart. My sister was oblivious to my drug usage and she is only a year younger than me. I betrayed her and my mother. My mom knew and she probably alerted the police.

I will be locked up because of her.

"GO TO HELL, BITCH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "GO TUCK YOURSELF IN TO DAD'S GRAVE, BITCH!" Moments later I was shoved in to a car, unable to escape. She made me a promise. She wouldn't tell anyone about my secret or I would tell hers. I lowered my head down to my chest, squeezing my eyes shut and then crying.

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**I'm updating later tonight- if you are uncomfortable with the vulgar language I can't do anything about that.**


	3. The Lying Third Wheel

**I am not going to lie I had a harder time writing the first five chapters of this story than anything else I've written because the way the characters act are so alien to what they would do in other stories. They use guns, they smoke, they're criminals... And then again I love writing it because of the challenge. I hope you enjoy the chapter, I had lots of fun writing this one. **

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**IGGY**

I watched as the police car Max was taken in to drove down the road, escorted by three others. I'm watching from inside a fast food restaurant, kids walking by and pointing at the cars, whispering among themselves. This was a big mistake. Crap.

Once the cars were out of sight I dialed the number I knew best; Ella Ride's. I waited in a painful silence for her to answer. The phone continued to ring, and ring, and ring. She didn't pick up.

"Hi I'm Ella and I can't pick up the phone right now because, well, just because!" I hung up and dialed the number again, waiting for a response. She didn't pick up again. "Hi, I'm Ella-" I dialed the number a third time. And again. And again.

I dialed her mom's number, waiting for a response.

"Hello?" A hoarse voice asked.

"Hi," I replied. "Its Iggy." She stayed silent for a few moments.

"Ho- how can I help you?" Her voice cracked.

"Um, are you okay Miss Ride?"

"Yeah," She sniffed.

"May I please speak to Ella?" I asked, trying to be as polite as possible. Her daughter was just arrested for an assault she never committed.

"Yes." She called for Ella, stating "your boyfriend is calling" in a sad tone. I bit my lip. I will be dead within the week and Ella's mom thinks we're dating. I need to stop committing myself to these kinds of things.

After a minute of silence Ella's usually loud and cheerful voice broke the silence.

"Hi," She said, her voice as fragile as melting ice. It tore me up inside. Did I make the wrong choice? Hell yes I did. I shouldn't have shot Fang in the first place. I framed Max for it and that is why she was arrested.

"I know you are feeling terrible Ella and I do too," I started, hoping she wouldn't scream at me like she does sometimes. "Can you get in to a private room? Where your mom doesn't hear?"

Ella went quiet.

"Yes.." She said after a silence. I could hear her crying in to the phone, probably holding it so tightly her knuckles were white. I could feel my throat burn in guilt. I did this to her.

"Ella, please listen carefully." I said steadily, trying my best to stay calm. "I..."

"Come to my house, please." She whispered, choking down her tears. "I want to see you. Please."

"Its almost eight at night, Ella." I stated.

"Do this for me." Ella begged miserably.

I nodded, forgetting I was on the phone. I could almost feel her presence right in front of me. "I'll be there." Ella hung up.

_Thirty Minutes Later _

I knocked on the door and moments later it swung open and when I saw Ella my jaw dropped.

Her auburn hair was messy as if she had ran her hands through it the entire time I drove here. Her usually glimmering pretty eyes were red and puffy from crying and her cheeks are wet from crying. It makes me question my choice of framing Max.

She hugged me the second I stepped forward, burying her head in to my chest and letting out more tears. Ella must really look up to Max.

"Max tried to kill someone." Ella whispered, looking up in to my eyes. "She would never do something like that, Iggy, we both know it."

Like hell we do. Now I want to just go back in time and drop the gun before I shoot Fang, before I got in to the business, before this shit started. I ruined my life instead of saving it because of bad choices.

"Lets talk in the kitchen." I told her. She let go of me and walked inside. I closed the door behind me.

Max lived in a separate house from Ella. Max had her own apartment- the one she was arrested in- to hide her secret from Ella. Max is a drinker, smoker and believed to be psycho. I don't know what makes her do what she does but I know she has a good heart and would never shoot somebody. I framed her. I still don't know why I chose her.

When we walked in to the modern kitchen I poured iced water for the both of us and had her sit at the small round table. She drank the water quickly, waiting for me to sit down. I sat and took a swig.

"Where's your mom?" I asked curiously in a failed attempt to change the subject.

"Upstairs sleeping. She goes to bed pretty early." Ella sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "Iggy, why do you think Max would do this?"

I choked on an ice cube.

"Retard." She remarked, smirking. That threw us both off topic.

I smiled an honest smile for the first time this week. Then Ella's cute smile disappeared, remembering Max's dire situation.

"Max is going to jail, isn't she?" Ella asked. I sighed, thinking about my choices for the millionth time today. I'm going to have to make more choices and I will do that for the rest of my life, however short that may be.

"While I was driving I got a call." I began my story of lies, careful not to reveal the truth. "Max did not shoot anyone. She was framed. At least that is what my friend, the guy who was shot, told the judge. My friend says he never saw the shooter's face." I let her soak in this information before I continued. "My friend didn't even accept Witness Protection. He's just chilling in the hospital, happily eating his potato chips and watching The Walking Dead. The hospital won't charge him for his time. He has no major wounds." This part was true. Fang lied that he never saw the shooter's face. However I have no clue what he could be watching. I don't care. Because hopefully I will never see him again.

If I do it will be the last thing I see. I shudder at the thought.

"Are they letting Max off the hook?" Ella asked, her eyes gleaming for the first time today.

"I don't know. But I do know that she isn't going to jail." I finished, crossing my arms and smiling.

Ella smiled and broke down in tears of relief. She stood up from her chair and walked to the living room, gesturing for me to follow her. I walked in to the dimly lit room when she turned on the TV. She laid on the couch, pointing to the cushion next to her. I sat there.

"Thank god." She exclaimed, holding my hand. A chill rushed down my spine at the contact. I felt the heat rise to my face and I was thankful she couldn't see it. On the TV, miraculously, The Walking Dead was playing. "How much longer do you think you want to stay?" Ella was happy again.

Crisis averted.

"Who said anything about leaving?" I asked, flashing a smile to her. Right when I said that she gave me an awkward hug in a sitting position. Then, to my unrivaled surprise, she began kissing me on the lips.

It felt like the best thing that has ever happened to me. I always pondered over what a first kiss would be like. A date, maybe, and then as a goodbye we would have kissed; but I didn't plan it to be at the most unexpected time ever. Sitting on the couch in front of a TV show with zombies crawling to their second death.

I wouldn't change a thing.

As she continued to kiss me I returned the kiss, cupping her cheek in my hand and my other awkwardly hanging at the side. When we finally pulled back I sighed. After an awkward minute of silence Ella finally spoke up.

"Now lets watch some zombies."

We were on the opposite sides of the couch as we watched the whole time and then I felt myself fall asleep, having no clue what was going on in the show.

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**Thanks for reading this chapter! I'm aiming for making the chapters twice as long and reviewing would help me hit my target!**


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